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PHUKET, Thailand – Three ships and more than 5,000 Sailors of
the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group arrived at the island of
Phuket, Thailand Sept. 22.
The strike group’s flagship, Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS
Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), the guided-missile cruiser USS
Chancellorsville (CG 62) and the guided-missile destroyer USS
Gridley (DDG 101) anchored out near Thailand’s largest island.
Nearly 330 strike group Sailors are
scheduled to participate in nine volunteer projects, including
painting a Thai Islamic school and an orphanage for children who
were victims of the 2004 tsunami. Sailors will also build a house
for one Thai family as part of Habitat for Humanity.
The Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group
recently left the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility (AOR). They
spent more than two months supporting Operation Enduring Freedom,
counter piracy operations off of Somalia and the Horn of Africa, and
Maritime Security Operations to include protecting vital Iraqi
infrastructure in the North Arabian Gulf.
Currently in U.S. 7th Fleet’s AOR as part of a regularly scheduled
deployment to promote cooperation, security and stability in the
region, the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group is commanded by Rear
Adm. Scott Hebner.
The strike group is also comprised of
the ships of Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 7; the guided-missile
destroyers USS Decatur (DDG 73), USS Howard (DDG 83) and the
guided-missile frigate USS Thach (FFG 43). Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 14
is embarked aboard Ronald Reagan.
The squadrons of CVW-14 include the
“Redcocks” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 22, the “Fist of the
Fleet” of VFA-25, the “Stingers” of VFA-113, the “Eagles” of
VFA-115, the “Black Eagles” of Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW)
113, the “Cougars” of Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron (VAQ)
139, the “Providers” of Carrier Logistics Support (VRC) 30, and the
“Black Knights” of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (HS) 4.
This is the fourth deployment for Ronald Reagan. The ship is named
after the 40th U.S. president, and carries the motto of "Peace
through Strength," a recurrent theme during the Reagan presidency. |
